MUSIC fans mourning the death of Boyzone singer Stephen Gately have donated more than £15,000 to a children’s charity run by a Midland businessman and close friend of the star.

Gately’s partner Andrew Cowles requested donations be made to mobile phone tycoon John Caudwell’s Caudwell Children Charity, for whom the performer was an ambassador.

The Phones4U founder had been due to have Gately sing at his birthday party but instead attended his funeral, which was held on Saturday.

Birmingham-born Mr Caudwell and his fiancée Claire Johnson, aged 40, flew into Dublin for the funeral before going back to his 57th birthday bash at his home at Eccleshall, near Stafford.

The tycoon is one of the richest men in the West Midlands and sold his Stoke-based Caudwell Group telecoms business, which included Phones4U, for £1.46 billion in 2006.

He said: “I will dedicate the party to Stephen.”

Gately attended many of the charity’s fundraising events and raised thousands of pounds when he auctioned a private performance at a Christmas ball for the charity, which provides donations to sick and disabled children.